Review of Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing of Weld Joints

Welding is a prevalent joining technique used on metals in industrial manufacturing. It is very important to detect welding defects that may occur without damaging the welding constructions. The conventional ultrasonic inspection is the most widely used non-destructive test method for the detection of weld defects. Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) is a significant method within the category of ultrasonic non-destructive testing methods because ultrasonic phased arrays offer significant technical advantages over conventional ultrasonic methods such as improved sensitivity, accurate characterization and faster inspection. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review on analysing defects in welded joints by utilizing PAUT. Different studies in the literature related to the non-destructive testing of weld joints by PAUT have been reviewed. Various examples of how the type, depth, and size of welding defects are detected in a highly effective manner have been provided. As a result, it was concluded that phased array ultrasonic testing is a highly efficient technique compared to conventional ultrasonic methods for detecting welding defects.